"Is that so?"
Rei Ao looked over at Krul, seeming pensive.
"What's your take on this, Krul?"
Krul let out a cold laugh, her scarlet eyes standing out all the more vividly in the night.
"Foolish human lies."
She spoke dismissively: "That insane woman certainly didn't die from some 'experimental accident.'"
In her distinct voice—somewhat childish—there was a powerful sense of contempt.
"That Hiiragi Mahiru, a human, touched fields she shouldn't have. Certain progenitors—"
She paused meaningfully.
"They wouldn't tolerate a human probing into 'the vampires' secret.'"
Shinoa's head snapped up, her purple irises shining with an astonishment difficult to believe.
"You're saying…my sister was…"
"Killed by some progenitor?"
Krul tilted her head, revealing a cruel smile that didn't match her youthful outward appearance.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Rei Ao observed silently, nodding faintly.
Indeed, the circumstances of this Hiiragi Mahiru's story were quite different from what he knew of the Mahiru in Seraph of the End.
"Oh, right—how about Guren? You're aware of him?"
"Hmm?"
A few people froze.
"Guren is someone in the Imperial Demon Army,"
Yukimi Shigure answered, wearing an odd expression.
"Why suddenly bring him up?"
In her mind, maybe Rei Ao was also interested in men? She'd already labeled him a big pervert.
"Ah, nothing."
Rei Ao withdrew his gaze.
From the moment he mentioned Guren, he'd caught their reactions, and the result was: nothing special.
It seemed not only was this Mahiru different, but Guren apparently wasn't a "center of attention" or anything like that.
"Shinoa, if I told you I could revive your sister, would you want me to?"
In one breath, he turned toward her with that question.
It felt as if the air froze on the spot. Shinoa stared wide-eyed, her lips trembling.
With practically no hesitation, she blurted, "I do! Of course I do!"
Her voice held an urgency that Rei Ao had never heard from her before.
"If my sister can come back, I— I'll do anything—"
She didn't even finish the sentence before Rei Ao interrupted.
"You've already given me everything. Fulfilling one small wish for you is no big deal."
He lifted his palm, spreading his fingers.
In that instant, a dazzling golden radiance burst forth from his palm, illuminating the entire room.
Yukimi Shigure and the others reflexively backed away, while Krul's eyes widened, showing shock for the first time.
From within that radiance, a hazy, person-shaped outline gradually formed.
It was a tall woman, violet hair fluttering in the energy flow. Her face, which was about seventy percent similar to Shinoa's, carried an expression of confusion.
"Where is…this?"
Hiiragi Mahiru murmured quietly, her voice as clear as a cool spring trickling over stones.
Her gaze swept around, pausing the moment she saw Shinoa, and then froze.
"Shi…noa?"
"Oneesan!"
Shinoa's tears burst forth. She wanted to rush and hug her sister, but the situation was currently rather awkward.
Rei Ao shifted his fingers; the radiance faded.
When the final trace of golden light vanished, Hiiragi Mahiru was standing firm on the floor.
She looked up at Rei Ao, who was still tormenting her younger sister. Her gaze carried scrutiny and curiosity.
"You're the one who brought me back?"
Rei Ao merely smiled faintly, without directly answering, and pressed on with his actions.
Jujo Mito momentarily forgot her own predicament. Her face was locked in shock and awe.
She had personally witnessed so many incomprehensible feats from Rei Ao. But resurrecting the dead…this was completely beyond her concept of "power."
The others had similar expressions.
"Neesan, g-give me a hug, at least…"
From the side, Sangu Mitsuba's mouth was wide open. Something like resurrecting the dead could only be done by a god, right?!
"…"
Sangu Aoi kept quiet, feeling a swirl of complicated emotions. One matter after another kept proving the reality of Rei Ao's existence. Even she, with her usual composure, couldn't remain calm.
As humans, they were mostly overwhelmed.
But Krul's response was far more intense.
Always so proud, this vampire queen now looked pale. Her ruby-red eyes trembled violently. She kept her gaze locked on Rei Ao, as though truly seeing his essence for the first time.
"You…really can control life and death…"
Krul's voice no longer had its usual composure and carried a faint tremor.
Rei Ao didn't respond immediately.
"Ugh!!"
Along with Shinoa's whimper, Rei Ao let out a long breath:
So satisfying.
Now he had the leisure to answer Krul.
While continuing to move against Shinoa, he spoke calmly:
"Controlling life and death. For the sole god of this world, is that difficult?"
"…"
Krul had no rebuttal. She wasn't a sole god, so she couldn't match him.
"Excuse me," Hiiragi Mahiru spoke, her eyes shifting to the scene of Rei Ao bullying Shinoa. "You revived me because of Shinoa, yes?"
Mahiru squinted with a smile.
"Is there some unspeakable deal or maybe coercion involved?"
"Ah, indeed, as they said, you're quite clever," said Rei Ao, giving Shinoa's softness a slap.
"Shinoa, maybe you can explain to your sister?"
"Ugh…fine…"
Shinoa gave a faint nod, pausing briefly. Then, propping herself up from Jujo Mito's back, she turned toward her sister.
"Shinoa, I think you should change into something else," Mahiru gently reminded her.
"…!"
Shinoa's face was full of discomfort.
"Ugh, n-never mind,"
"Oneesan, he's Rei Ao—my, my boyfriend!"
"Oh? So that's your boyfriend, no wonder you two are so intimate."
Mahiru seemed less than surprised. Seeing her little sister's expression while being tormented was quite "happy-excited," so it was apparent that her relationship with Rei Ao wasn't simple.
"But…"
She pressed a forefinger to her lips in a meaningful way.
"You youngsters nowadays are quite bold, huh?"
"Having your fun in front of a crowd? I'd never heard of that before."
"!!!"
Shinoa flushed bright red, glaring at Rei Ao indignantly.
Internally she was annoyed: Why'd you have to resurrect Sister at this timing? This is total social suicide!
Mahiru wasn't expecting an answer from her sister anyway. She'd only just been brought back, after all.
~~~
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